Converting inactive customers into floor traffic

Scenario (based upon a real-life customer service call center report) – A dealership recently changes owners. The new owner hires a call center to contact every person in the system that has not stepped foot in the dealership in more than a year. There are more than 5,000 people to contact. Everyone was invited to a dealership “open house” to meet the new management team. After completing the task, the call center reports that 22 percent of those customers have been in the store over the last year, but were not entered into the system. Sixty-three percent of the customers were happy to hear from the dealership, and they were inclined to attend the dealership “open house” event. Another 13 percent of the people had a bad experience with the dealership and never expected to hear from them again. All of this information, along with specific comments, was forwarded to the new owner.

What now? – First of all, the new owner learned a lot about the dealership under the prior owner. More importantly, more than 3,000 inactive customers and potential customers can now be converted to active customers. The new owner has uncovered a tremendous hidden asset. The idea of getting all of these folks into the dealership for an open house is a great idea. Make sure that all of the guests are welcomed by the new management team, and make certain the event is fun. Some people forget how fun motorcycles, ATVs and other vehicles can be when they are away from it for awhile.

Lesson learned – Think “out of the box.” There are always creative ways to reach out to potential customers and drive new business to your dealership. Choosing ideas with the highest success rates is the key to maximizing your marketing dollars.